Government mulling relaxation in rule for airports

New Delhi: The proposal for a new airport at Jewar in Greater Noida may finally see the light of the day with the government considering a review of the rule which disallows a second airport within 150 kms of an existing one.

This was indicated by Mahesh Sharma, who took charge as the Minister of State for Civil Aviation here on Wedesday.

Stressing the need to have an international airport in the National Capital Region (NCR), he said, "The new airport project in Jewar is an important project. It has to be discussed in the wider interest of the nation. The airport is not a project of Mayawati or Mulayam Singh, but of India."

The Jewar airport proposal was first mooted by Rajnath Singh, who was then the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, in 2001 and later pushed by his successor Mayawati.

The proposed airport would go against the existing policy as the distance between the proposed site for the new venture and the IGI Airport in Delhi is less than 150 km.

55-year-old Sharma, who represents Gautam Buddha Nagar under which Jewar falls, said over 2,378 acres of land, spread across 35 villages was acquired in 2003 for the airport and there was more land available if needed.

Replying to queries, he said the proposal would first be discussed within the Civil Aviation Ministry and with the Prime Minister, before it moves forward and indicated that a decision on the matter was likely to be taken by the year-end.

He pointed out that the infrastructure in Delhi would not be able to cope with the growing traffic and a new airport near the national capital would help.

The existing rules do not allow a second airport within a 150-km radius of an existing one, unless the latter has overshot its operating capacity and is unable to meet demand.

Projections that Mumbai's CSI Airport would soon overshoot its handling capacity has been the reason why the Navi Mumbai airport was given clearance, even though it falls within the 150 km radius of the existing airport.

After the new airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore came up, the old airports in these two cities were closed down for commercial operations in spite of demands for reopening them.

"Strategically, Noida and Greater Noida have great industrial potential and therefore infrastructure would be needed which would also generate more jobs. Therefore, there is a need to develop an airport in this belt," the Minister said.

Sharma, a doctor by profession who also owns the Kailash Group of Hospitals, has also been given independent charge of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

He said tourism and aviation sectors could go hand in hand to help each other like Singapore and Dubai, by attracting tourists and businesses.

"Growth in international tourism and a further boost to the image of 'Incredible India' are the top priority areas which require our immediate attention to achieve newer heights," Sharma said.

Later, the Minister was briefed by top officials on different issues related to the Ministry.